Valve means



S. HORVATH VALVE MEANS Dec. 20, 1955 Filed Sept. 29, 1952 IIIIIIIII 'IIIIIII INVENTOR.

United States Patent D My present invention comprises novel valve means for controlling the inflow of water to a tank such as the flush tank of a toilet, or like tank, in which the liquid is maintained at constant level or is periodically restored to a predetermined level.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved valve means of the type referred to, designed particularly to replace the usual ballcock commonly employed to control the inflow of water to the flush tank of a toilet or the like.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such a valve means which is automatically controlled for opening and closing the same by variations in hydrostatic pressure within the tank with which such valve means is employed.

A further object of the invention is to .provide a valve means of the type referred to which is relatively simple in construction and relatively noiseless in operation as compared with ballcock valve means of the type heretofore commonly used for the abovepurpose.

The commonly used ballcock type of valve means heretofore used for the above purposes, is subject to'certain characteristic noisiness in its operation, and 'a certain characteristic tendency under certain conditions of wear not to shut off properly when the liquid reaches predete'p mined level in the tank.

It is an important object of thepresent invention to provide valve means for the above :purposes which largely eliminate the above disadvantages of the 'ballcock type valve means, and more particularly to provide valve means which are more positive and quick acting in shutting oil the inflow of water or liquid'at the predetermined desired level and which are not subject to the hissing noise characteristic of ballcocks.

To the foregoing ends, the valve means of my invention, in its preferred embodiment, generally comprises a tube fixed to the tank surrounding the liquid intake tube, and provided with openings at its lower end for admitting liquid to the tank, a diaphragm housing fixed to the first tube, a valve member cooperating with the inlet end of the intake tube, and means including a 'diaphragm in said housing for controlling the opening and closing of said valve member, and means afiording communication of liquid to the interior of the housing above the diaphragm, the portion of the housing 'belowthe'di'aphragm being subject to atmospheric pressure; the arrangement being such that when the liquid in the tank reaches the predetermined level, "the pressure of 'the column of liquid acting on the diaphragm serves 'to effect the closing or" the valve member at the top of the intake tube, and when the liquid in the tank drops below the predetermined level, the line pressure of the liquid in the intake tube serves to unseat the valve member and permit inflow of liquid to the tank to restore the same to its predetermined level.

Other objects, advantages and features of the inv'e'nw tion will become apparent from the following detailed de- 2,727,527 r Patented Dec. 20, 1955 2 scription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a tank, such as a flush tank for toilets, or the like, equipped with the valve means of my invention, portions of the latter also being shown in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view, showing the upper portion of the liquid intake tube for the tank, the valve member cooperating with the outlet end thereof and the associated valve tube and overflow tube.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the valve member alone.

Now referring to the accompanying drawing and dea tank such as the flush tank for a toilet, the same being provided with the usual liquid discharge pipe 2, which is open at -its upper end just inside the lower end of the tank, and provided with the usual valve seat 3 for seating engagement with the usual rubber ball valve 4. The latter is provided with the usual vertical rod or stem 5, guided for vertical movement in the guide means 6 of the guide bracket 7 secured in the usual manner to the customary overflow pipe 8, communicating with the dis charge pipe 2.

The flush valve stem or rod 5 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the usual actuating lever 8 which is pivotally carried or supported in the usual manner by the tank 1. The-lever 3 is adapted to be associated with the 'usual flush handle (not shown) carried by the tank *1, andaccessible from the outsideof the latter for manipulation to etfec't the raising of the ball valve 4 from its seat;3, through lever 3 and rod 5, when water in the tank 1 is to be discharged through the pipe 2 for flushing of the toilet "bowl with which the tank is associated.

The structure thus far described is conventional. My present inventionvresides in the valve means now to be described.

Foradmitting water into the *tank 1, there is provided an intake tube 9 which may be of conventional form, disposed within the tank 1 and connected for communication through an opening in the bottom of the tank with the usual water supply line =10, the same supplying water under pressure to the intake tube 9. The valve means of my invention may be embodied in the form of a unit generally indicated by 'the letter A in Figure 1. This unit A consists of a vertical tube 11, surrounding *the intake tube 9, ancl'suitably secured to the bottom of the tank El; a diaphragm housing secured at its lower portion to and surrounding the vertical tube or housing 11, said diaphragm housing being designated 12; a diaphragm 13 disposed in the housing 12, and having its outer periphery fixed to the housing; a diaphragm operated tube 14 secured at its lowerend to the diaphragm 13 at the periphery of a central openirng in the latter, as shown in the drawing. The "tube 14 extends upwardly within the tubular portion l2-iz of the diaphragm hous iti'g, the tube 14 being provided with a closed upper end, designated 14 The unit further comprises -a valve tube 15 extend 'ing ar'ouht'l the "intake tube 9, intermediate the latter and the vertical tube 14. The valve tube 15 is provided with 'aclosedupper end designated 15-h, extending above the top ofthe iiitake tube 9. Tightly "fitting in the upper end of the valve tube 15' is 'a valve member or gasket of of the valve tube is provided with a central opening through which extends one end of a small overflow tube 17, extending to and communicating with the central juncture 16c of the cross recesses or grooves 16-b.

The overflow tube 17 extends upwardly from the tube 15 to which it is secured, thru a central opening in the closed end 14-a of the diaphragm operated tube 14, and thence the tube 17 is bent laterally so as to extend over to and into the upper end of'the overflow pipe 8, the other end of said overflow tube 17 being bent downwardly as at 17-a at the point where it extends into the upper end of the overflowpipe 8.

The unit A further includes a siphon tube 18 having the lower end of its short leg 18-41 secured to and extending through an-opening in the diaphragm housing 12 to communicate with the interior thereof above the diaphragm 13. The short leg 18-a of the siphon tube extends upwardly from the diaphragm housing as shown, to a height determined by the level of water desired to be maintained within the tank 1, the siphon tube being at this point bent backwardly upon itself to provide the long leg 18b of the siphon tube extending downwardly so that its lower end is at a point exteriorly of the diaphragm housing below the diaphragm 13 therein.

The diaphragm operated tube 14 is provided with a vent 19 for venting the space interiorly of the tube 14 between the latter and the tube 11, and the space below the diaphragm 13 in the diaphragm housing12 to the atmosphere.

The tube 11 is provided at its lower end below the diaphragm housing 12 with openings 11-a for admitting water from the intake tube 9 to the interior of the tank 1, under the control of the valve means of the invention.

In operation, the ball valve 4 is normally seated on its seat 3 to prevent outflow of liquid from the tank 1 through the discharge pipe 2, the ball valve 4 moving to its seated condition by gravity. Assuming that the liquid level in the tank 1 is below the lower end of the long leg 18b of siphon 18 and the liquid level in chamber 21 is below the lower end of the short leg 18-a of said siphon, the supply line pressure in the intake tube 9 will be greater than the pressure acting downwardly on the diaphragm 13, so that the supply line pressure in the intake tube 9 will act to raise the valve member 16 (together with its associated valve tube 15) from its seated condition normally closing the upper end of the intake tube 9. Unseating of the valve member 16 permits flow of water under supply line pressure from the intake tube 9 to the space between the latter and the interior of the valve tube 15, as well as to the interior of the vertical tube 11, and the water will pass out of the openings 11a at the bottom of the tube 11 into the interior of the tank 1. At the same time, the inflow of water from the intake tube 1 will pass upwardly through the grooves 16-a and 16-b of the valve member 16, into the overflow tube 17, thence to the overflow pipe 8 and to the discharge pipe 2, which communicates with the interior of the bowl of a toilet in conjunction with which the tank 1 is provided for flushing the said bowl. The overflow tube 17 is of course of small diameter, relatively smaller capacity so that more water flows to the interior of the tube 11 and outwardly into the tank 1, and since the water flowing into the tank 1 cannot pass outwardly through the discharge pipe 2 because of the seated condition of the ball valve 4 on its seat 3, closing the passage at the upper end of the discharge pipe 2, the level of liquid in the tank 1 will rise and continue to rise until the siphon tube 18 is filled, at which time the level of the water in the tank 1 is at the level indicated by the line 20 at the top of the bend in the siphon tube 18. When the water in the tank 1 reaches the level 20 at which the siphon tube 18 becomes filled, the space above the diaphragm 13 in the interior of the housing 12 and between the tubular portion 12-11 and the diaphragm operated tube 14, fills with water immediately in a fraction of a second, causing downward pressure on the diaphragm 13, resulting in downward movement of the tube 14, and the tube 15, to cause seating of the valve member 16 on the upper end of the intake tube 9 to shut off the inflow of water from said intake tube 9.

In order to discharge water from the tank 1 for flushing of the toilet bowl with which the discharge pipe 2 is associated, assuming the level of liquid in tank 1 is at the level indicated by the line 20, the lever 3 is actuated by means of the usual handle (not shown) accessible for operation exteriorly of the tank 1, to lift the rod 5 and ball valve 4 from its seat 3, permitting the water in the tank 1 to flow outwardly through the discharge pipe 2 through the opening in the upper end thereof, normally closed by the seating of the valve 4 on the seat 3. Under this condition, when the ball valve 4 is raised .from its seat 3, the water passes rapidly out of the tank 1 through the discharge pipe 2, into the toilet bowl with which the pipe 2 is connected for flushing the toilet bowl.

When the water level in the tank 1 falls to about the line indicated by the numeral 22 below the long leg 18-b of siphon 18, the ball valve 4 will return to seated condition on its seat 3, closing the upper end of the discharge pipe 2 from liquid communication with the interior of the tank 1. The return of the ball valve 4 to its seat 3 will permit the refilling of the tank 1. Ball valve 4 returns to seat 3 by gravity.

During the discharge of water from the tank 1 through the discharge tube 2, as above described, the water in chamber 21 correspondingly recedes, because of communication through siphon tube 18. When the water level in tank 1 drops below the lower end of short leg 18-a of the siphon tube, chamber 21 is siphoned clear of water and the system is ready for refill action. The lower end of 18a is positioned close to the upper position of diaphragm 13. The discharge of water from tank 1 and chamber 21 is rapid and coincidental therewith the downward pressure of the column of water, acting upon diaphragm 13, is quickly diminished.

As soon as the line pressure in the intake pipe 9 becomes greater than the down pressure on the diaphragm 13, the line pressure in the intake pipe 9 will push up on the valve member 16 raising the same from the end of the intake pipe 9 and raising the tube 15 and tube 14 so that water again flows into the tank 1 through the openings 11-a in the bottom of the tube 11, for refilling of the tank 1, and at the same time as above mentioned, water will flow from the intake tube 9 through the grooves 16-a and 16-b to the overflow tube 17, for continuing flow through the overflow pipe 8 and discharge pipe 2 to the toilet bowl while the tank 1 is refilling.

Water from the intake tube 9 continues to flow into the tank 1 through the openings 11-11 of the tube 11 until the level in the tank rises to the level 20 at the top of the siphon tube 18 as before described, at which time the chamber 21 above the diaphragm 13 immediately fills in a fraction of a second without any hissing noise to quickly move the tube 14 and tube 15 downwardly to cause seating of the valve 16 on the end of the intake tube 9 to shut off further flow therefrom to the tank 1 until the lever 8 is again actuated to lift the ball valve 4 from its seat.

It will be understood, of course, that the provision of the vent 19 serves to equalize the elfect of atmospheric pressure above and below the diaphragm 13 so that the diaphragm is responsive effectively to the variation in the height of water acting upon the diaphragm from above.

In the event that during the discharge of water from the tank 1 for flushing of the toilet bowl associated therewith, the water from the toilet bowl should over-siphon therefrom so as to leave the trap empty, the flow of water from the overflow tube 17 and overflow pipe 8 to the toilet bowl through the discharge pipe 2 will afford an auxiliary amount of water going to the toilet bowl to fill the trap thereof, and reseal the same, to prevent escape of gases from the toilet bowl trap or sewage pipe into the room where the toilet is located.

I claim:

1. Means of the class described, comprising the combination with a tank for containing liquid and a liquid supply intake tube therein, of a valve tube extending around said intake tube and having a closed end, a valve member in said valve tube arranged to seat over the outlet end of said intake tube, said outlet end being disposed above the highest level at which liquid may stand in said tank, a liquid level responsive diaphragm, a siphon tube communicating with the space above said diaphragm and arranged to introduce liquid thereto to a height corresponding with a predetermined level of liquid in said tank, and means responsive to downward pressure of liquid acting on said diaphragm for causing seating engagement of said valve member with said outlet end of said intake tube.

2. Means of the class described, comprising in combination, a tube having a closed bottom arranged to receive a liquid intake tube therewithin, said first tube having discharge openings in the lower end thereof, a valve tube having a closed upper end and received within said first tube, said valve tube being adapted to extend around such intake tube, a valve member in said valve tube arranged to seat over the outlet end of such intake tube, said means being mounted so that the outlet end lies above the highest level of liquid discharged therefrom, a liquid level responsive diaphragm, a housing for said diaphragm, a siphon tube communicating with and arranged to introduce liquid to the space in said housing above said diaphragm, and means responsive to downward pressure of liquid acting on said diaphragm for causing downward movement of said valve member to effect seating engagement thereof with the outlet end of such intake tube.

3. A valve unit of the class described, comprising in combination a tube having a closed bottom arranged to receive a liquid intake tube therewithin, said first tube having discharge openings in the lower end thereof, a valve tube having a closed upper end and received within said first tube, said valve tube being adapted to extend around such intake tube, a valve member in said valve tube arranged to seat over the outlet end of such intake tube, said outlet end being disposed above the highest level at which liquid may stand after discharge from said end, a liquid level responsive diaphragm, a housing for said diaphragm, a siphon tube communicating with and arranged to introduce liquid to the space in said housing above said diaphragm, and a diaphragm operated tube connected to said diaphragm for movement thereby and disposed within said housing and extending around said first tube, said diaphragm operated tube having its upper end closed and being operable responsive to downward pressure of liquid acting on said diaphragm to cause downward movement of said valve member to effect seating engagement thereof with such intake tube.

4. Means as claimed in claim 2, wherein venting means is provided for communication between the atmosphere exterior of said housing and the space in said housing below said diaphragm.

5. Means as claimed in claim 2, combined with an overflow tube extending to the closed end of said valve tube, and means providing communication between said overflow tube and the space in said valve tube below said valve member.

6. Means as claimed in claim 2, combined with an said outlet end overflow tube extending to the closed end of said valve tube, and said valve member having grooves providing communication between said overflow tube and the space in said valve tube below said valve member.

7. Means as claimed in claim 2, wherein venting means is provided for communication between the atmosphere exterior of said housing and the space in said housing below said diaphragm, combined with an overflow tube extending to the closed end of said valve tube, and means providing communication between said overflow tube and the space in said valve tube below said valve member.

8. A valve unit of the class described, comprising in combination, an intake tube having its outlet lying above the highest level of liquid discharged therefrom, a housing tube receiving said intake tube therewithin, said housing tube having a discharge opening at the lower end thereof, a valve tube having a closed upper end and received within said housing tube, a valve member in said valve tube arranged to seat over the outlet end of said intake tube, a liquid level responsive diaphragm, a housing for said diaphragm, a siphon communicating with the space in said housing above said diaphragm, and means responsive to downward pressure on said diaphragm for causing seating engagement of said valve member with of said intake tube.

9. Valve means of the class described, comprising, in combination, a valve tube having a closed end and adapted to extend around a liquid intake tube having its outlet lying above the highest level of liquid discharged therefrom, a valve member in said valve tube arranged to seat over the outlet end of such intake tube, a liquid level responsive diaphragm, a housing for said diaphragm, a siphon communicating with the space in said housing above said diaphragm, and means responsive to downward pressure on said diaphragm for causing seating engagement ofsaid valve member with the outlet end of such intake tube.

10. The combination with a flush tank having a discharge pipe, an overflow pipe communicating therewith, and discharge valve means for controlling discharge of valve tube to said providing communication be and the space in said valve tube overflow pipe, and means tween said overflow tube below said valve member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

